If the papers were serving this as a Main Course, we'd either be seriously obese or feeling so overstuffed and nauseous that we're ready to run to puke rather than even glance at the next "sensation."
I think the Israeli public is numb from the over-sized daily scandals about our politicians being dished out by the local muckrakers, aka investigative reporters.
Are we supposed to judge which crimes are better or worse? Are the sexual harrassers, rapists, more honest, more suited to lead the country, since they didn't break any "real laws?" They didn't steal money, just "kisses," self-respect and human dignity. Should Chaim Ramon and Moshe Katzav be banished from public life? Hillary forgave Bill!
Or are Olmert's financial corruption charges signs of a "better person?" It's not like he cheated on his wife! All he did was get the "best deal" for a family home.
And why should Tzachi Hanegbi be punished for providing jobs for his friends? Hadn't the Labor party been doing it for decades?
Yes, I could go on, ad nauseum.
I'll tell you what really worries me. That's the message our kids are getting. The bigger you are the more you can take, whether it's someone's body, money you didn't earn, or a job via "protexia."
High school teachers see it all the time, when students demand higher grades. They think they can bully us into helping them pass. There are even schools that play that game.
Cheating is an international epidemic, no matter the realm. Was the world always like this?
7 comments:
With all due respect, Batya, IMHO you have missed something. The media, as part of the national oligarchy, serves the function of a)depressing our national sensitivity so that we don't know who to go after first and therefore do nothing or at least too little; and b)in the cases of Ramon and Hanegbi, the assignments of both the prosecution and the media were to keep the heat on the executive and legislative branches to keep them from exercising any review over judicial appointments. Ramon was no friend of ours, but he wanted to throw his weight around in reorganizing the court system. The powers that be didn't want to take any chances. Now that Dorit Beinish is safely appointed by unanimous rubber stamp to succeed Chief Justice Aharon Barak, presto! The investigation against Ramon self destructs like a house of cards. Nothing personal against you, Chaim baby, but you're not allowed to mess with the sacred judiciary. This idea was suggested to me by my collegue at Yeshivat Ma'ale Efraim Rav Yedidya Shilo, brother of B'Sheva editor Rav Emanuel Shilo.
I believe GR's point was on the Hebrew [and probably later the English] Arutz 7 site today.
Was the world always like this?
I'm afraid so. Don't our Sages say in Pirkei Avot [Ethics of the Fathers] that we should not trust the government? And didn't [King] David HaMelech say before them, "Do not trust the noblemen"? [Psalm 146:3]
Well a few scenarios I've been thinking about lately (trust me, mere fleeting thoughts, who cares to waste any brain calories on all this 'current events' garbage):
- Post 2006 Lebanon-Israel war, Arabs misinterpret IDF 'failure', two district commanders resigning, and massive upheaval and instability in ' Imperialist Zionist' government to be a sign of weakness. Decide to attack, gog u magog, yada yada, mashiach, geulah, ta-da!
- frankly, who in the world can deny that the state of Israel is a pretty unstable package right now? When does the UN, NATO or 'America' decide to come a protect us citizens like they do in Haiti, Kosovo, and whatever?
-Thank God we have Hashem and the torah. Without them, if we were a 'regular' country, we'd be lost.
I didn't see yitz's comment.
I think that while the orange efforts to overcome the gush katif expulsion failed, all that propaganda/hasbara nonetheless sank in to most people. Even the fake right-wingers who supported the expulsion, as well as the left-wingers too who knew that it was being done at all costs by disregarding the system, all know that the system is crumbling much faster than it was in the past. Have we ever (in 60 years) had so much corruption at the same time?
Doubt it. Nonetheless, it reflects on us as well.
B"H Actually, Batya, the only thing I thing you missed was Dalia Itsik,...and all of the others suspected of dodging business. ;-) You've criticized the media plenty before this. Goyshe Rebbe, I hope you don't think that we have a REAL separation of powers here in the deMOCKracy called Midinath Yisrael. ;-)
Glad you're all visiting!
"only thing" I missed. There are tons I didn't mention, like Isak (grandfather's rolling in his grave)Herzog and Peres, who gets millions from foreign governments and the Ehud Barak campaign and the Sharon clan....
that's why I called it "Scandal de jour."
"comment" your favorite scandal
Remember when they put Aryeh Deri in jail for stealing charity money to build a porch out back of his house (which he justified by claiming bigger parties would raise more charity?
Oh, right, but he's actually Jewish.
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